Moos

It's worth mentioning however, that many varieties of river life have returned to Keef's bloodstream, having been thought extinct due to pollution many years ago...

The points on loading times, disabled access and buggy access are all very fair - however, the newer doubles also have the controlled suspension (or whatever it's called) and ramps to help disabled travellers and also sneakily benefit buggy pushers. And loading times would be hugely improved with a conductor on board. Edited because cross-posted with DC - interesting if conductors were phased out to save money - my goodness, how much would fares have increased by if they hadn't been! I think buses are safer with conductors, although it's a good point (in a ridiculous world) that it must be a bit of a dangerous job.

Oh, that's so nice! Thank you, Jah. *goes off beaming*

The stall is fantastic, good luck with the bakery.

Thanks Mockers - I will speak to Mr. Moos to do my part in the search for the Eleventh Man but I suspect that he will think it's a silly game for foreigners and not want to play. PGC - do you think the cricket team might just want your milkshakes? ::o They do bring all the boys to the pitch.

Here, Ant, you can share my chocolate mousse. (I actually just typed moose then... idiot)

I probably shouldn't get involved in this discussion because I don't know anything about bus design! Er... some wheels... an engine... But coming from a completely different industry my own firm often invests significant amounts of man hours (e.g. teams of 4-8 people for weeks at a time, and we are not a huge company) in trying to land a big deal. A lot of the reason that we eventually do or don't get selected is on credibility (in this instance would be: have we designed a bus before, and was it similar to the one Boris wants), price (are we prepared to put a cap on what the development costs would be) and reputation for delivery on time/in budget. It will be interesting to see what comes out. Councils are after all infamous for hurling vast sacksful of cash at very silly projects. I love the idea of an ecologically friendly bus and resuming the role of a conductor, and I think double-deckers are a brilliant design. Personally I don't miss the old Routemasters, because they were always so dirty and the seats were very small for a moderately tall person like me, but they were quite nice looking.

Brendan, nice. Like this one? Hambling's A Conversation With Oscar Wilde

Perhaps a state-of-the-art bench is one which reduces your art to a state after you've sat on it.

I was in Berlin, which sounds much cooler than where I am now, which is why I'm mentioning it. Now I'm in the office, but on the plus side no longer covered in the vomit of a small child, which for those of you that would like to know is no more appealing than that of an adult.

Oh my goodness, have just caught up with this thread. Buggie, you get me into all sorts of trouble. I shall never discuss boobs with you again! (tosses head haughtily) Mike, for want of a more elegant expression: pthhhhhhhhhhhhh. I am very much hoping to be there, possibly wearing a cardboard box.

Is it not usual to put a large technical project out to tender so that firms can compete to win the business? I'm not sure that Boris meant that herds of schoolchildren would be designing them using loo rolls and sticky-backed plastic. Or am I missing some irony here...it is early, after all.

Wasn't me said Jah was an eclipse man, onist guv. We talked, er, about using the said items as a weapon in the getting-served-first-at-the-bar war. I have no comment to offer on whether any male Forumite is or is not an eclipse man.

Blimey, I've missed a lot of discussion. *Bob*, seems my comment annoyed you - apologise if that was the case, it certainly wasn't intended as a lecture. It was intended to express mild amazement and in hope that you would go into more detail. Sorry if it came across wrongly.

Er, was anyone over-reacting? I didn't see any suggestions we all march, sign petitions, harass our MP... ? We were just discussing it and expressing distaste. It was only when a poster opined that we shouldn't even notice it or discuss it that a bit more feeling came into the thread, and in my opinion rightly so. Not to even notice when swastikas decorate our neighbourhood? That would be very strange, so no let's not all tear our hair out (in case anyone was....) but yes let's talk about it, let's be clear where we stand and then if it doesn't happen again let's move on. *Bob* - clearly you love to bring a lighthearted tone to threads, and I usually think it's brilliant - but I know you don't think the Nazi party ceased to exist half a century ago?

???/??? Brendan?

david_carnell Wrote: ...Never been happier though. > > Edit: In retrospect it's probably not the 3rd > biggest regret of my life EVER but I was stuck on > two and three seemed "sweet". My new three is not > having slept with hundreds of woman, just to > redress the balance, like. ;-) Christ I hope 'er > indoors isn't reading this! Takes a real man to be open about his feelings (one of the reasons I fell in love with Mr. Moos). That said, of course 'er indoors will read this and you are in fact toast. But as you yourself said happy toast. I don't really regret anything I've done - although if time-regrets come into it, I too wish that I could have got together with my other half sooner in life so that we could have had a longer couple-life before having a family-life. And I really really wish that my father could have met his grandson. But those are things that I couldn't possibly have done anything about. However, I do regret things that I am. I regret that I act without thinking and on impulse and that that sometimes makes me abrupt or unkind or just stupid. I regret that I am a bit lazy and often fail to seize the day. I regret that I know these things about myself and have done for years, and yet do not change...

Mr Hannah, at the risk of being really irritating, wouldn't you have to have been a teenager?!

How bad are you guys? I could try to persuade Mr. Moos to play - don't think he's ever played cricket before so could be giggle-worthy? Just to add to the non-contribution from the Moos household I also can't bake cakes, but am more than capable of buying nice food and bringing it along.

Argh, now I'm torn between continuing the love poetry and the war poetry...so I'll do both. Someone had to crack open the Shakespeare and it might as well be me. The Donne poem that Annaj quoted always makes me think of new lovers happily chatting and glowing with all the wonderful transformational glory of it all. In contrast, this one is for anyone who's ever loved someone while knowing in heart of hearts that they aren't really loved back. Sonnet 61 Is it thy will thy image should keep open My heavy eyelids to the weary night? Dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken, While shadows like to thee do mock my sight? Is it thy spirit that thou send'st from thee So far from home into my deeds to pry, To find out shames and idle hours in me, The scope and tenor of thy jealousy? O, no! thy love, though much, is not so great: It is my love that keeps mine eye awake; Mine own true love that doth my rest defeat, To play the watchman ever for thy sake: For thee watch I whilst thou dost wake elsewhere, From me far off, with others all too near. And on the war theme, Wilfred Owen's Anthem for Doomed Youth is equally clich?d but utterly beautiful and angry and sad. What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? Only the monstous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells, Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,-- The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of the boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes. The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

Pish, Mike. Just cos the Nazis nicked it... it's a symbol thousands of years old! Sorry, have been lazy and got all the below from Wikipedia - didn't dare google swastika at work.. The motif seems to have first been used in Neolithic Pakistan. The symbol has an ancient history in Europe, appearing on artifacts from pre-Christian European cultures. In antiquity, the swastika was used extensively by the Indo-Aryans,Persians, Hittites, Celts and Greeks, among others. In particular, the swastika is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Mithraism ? religions with over a billion adherents worldwide, making the swastika ubiquitous in both historical and contemporary society. The symbol was introduced to Southeast Asia by Hindu kings and remains an integral part of Balinese Hinduism to this day, and it is a common sight in Indonesia. It also was adopted independently by several Native American cultures. Apparently the Nazis got it from the work of the ever-enthusiastic Heinrich Schliemann.

We are thinking of annexing it, yes.

*Slowly pushes open door to Quiet Room, and surveys the sorry sight. The merry scene of so much ED debauchery lies ruined and in tatters, long abandoned by the fickle folk who once partied there with such joy and abandon. A thick layer of dust covers the once-elegant furnishings. *Sits on the broken sofa and sighs deeply* *Then picks up a broom and sets to work*

I ate a sandwich. Loser.

*Bob*, you are on fine form. Aromatherapy gets "post of the day" from me. (doffs cap, tugs forelock)